Frequency dependent dynamical electromechanical response of mixed ionic-electronic conductors

Frequency dependent dynamic electromechanical response of the mixed ionic-electronic conductor film to a periodic electric bias is analyzed for different electronic and ionic boundary conditions. Dynamic effects of mobile ions concentration (stoichiometry contribution), charge state of acceptors (donors), electron concentration (electron-phonon coupling via the deformation potential), and flexoelectric effect contribution are discussed. A variety of possible nonlinear dynamic electromechanical responses of mixed electronic ionic conductors (MIEC) films including quasi-elliptic curves, asymmetric hysteresis-like loops with pronounced memory window, and butterfly-like curves are calculated. The electromechanical response of ionic semiconductor is predicted to be a powerful descriptor of local valence states, band structure and electron-phonon correlations that can be readily measured in the nanoscale volumes and in the presence of strong electronic conductivity. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3673868]